APOLOGY TO RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SURVIVORS

By: Rimsha Malik & Anchana Sivayoganathan

What are Residential schools?

Residential schools were operating in Canada since the 1870s to the 1990s

Residential schools were designed “to kill the Indian in the child”

The European settlers in Canada felt the Aboriginal’s culture was inferior and unequal

The government of Canada joined with churches to run and set up residential schools for Aboriginal (FNMI) children

The purpose of the Residential School System was to educate and assimilate Aboriginal people into the Canadian society

Residential schools

Attendance by Aboriginal children across Canada was mandatory, and failure to send children to residential school often resulted in the punishment of parents

federal government and churches operated over 130 residential schools across Canada with over 150,000 children (between ages 4 to16) attending these schools in total

only approximately 80,000 Residential School survivors today

Students were forbidden to speak their language or practice their culture, and were often severely punished for doing so

Residential Schools

The men and women who worked and ran the residential schools were violent and treated students inhumanely

victims of residential schools experienced physical, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse from the staff

Many students only received a sub-standard education, meaning they were in grade 5 when they reached the age of 18

Students were discouraged from continuing their education after they were sent away from residential school

The last residential school did not close until 1986

Long Lasting Impacts

When the students returned home, they felt like they didn’t belong in the Aboriginal culture or the mainstream Canadian culture ;resulted in poverty

Lack parenting skills and the nurturing of family

Long lasting and damaging effect on Aboriginal language, heritage and language

Mistreatment of Aboriginals also impacted their community by having higher rates of substance abuse, violence, crime and suicide

Stephen Harper Apologizes

On June 11, 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologizes to the survivors of the residential schools. In the House of Commons in front of different Aboriginal leaders.

Stephen Harper said “The treatment of children in Indian Residential Schools is a sad chapter in our history.”

It is a primary source and the person who created it is unknown and it used in CBC news on May 16, 2008. The purpose was to show the life of children in schools. I choose this photo because it shows you the life of Aboriginal children at the residential school.

It is a primary source and the person who created it is unknown and it was used for Apihtawikosisan. The purpose is to show you the affects of the schools on Aboriginal children. I choose this photo because it is a powerful image showing you how much the schools changed the Aboriginal culture.

Stephen Harper stated: “The government now recognizes that the consequences of the Indian Residential Schools policy were profoundly negative and that this policy has had a lasting and damaging impact on Aboriginal culture, heritage and language. While some former students have spoken positively about their experiences at residential schools, these stories are far overshadowed by tragic accounts of the emotional, physical and sexual abuse and neglect of helpless children, and their separation from powerless families and communities.”

It is a primary source and Stephen Harper said it in his apology on June 11, 2008. The purpose was to apologize to the survivors of residential schools. I choose this quote because he acknowledges that residential schools was wrong and should have never been done.

Quote

Trailer: “We Were Children”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9daBqAddI_s

This trailer was released at the International Premiere at IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam) 2012. The trailer was produced by Tom Wolochatiuk and the production company was the “National Film Board of Canada”. The purpose of the trailer was to give a sneak-peak of the movie. This emotional trailer shows the impact of the Canadian government’s residential school system and the lifestyle at residential schools narrated by two people. The trailer shows the narrator’s childhood to where they are now about 30 years later. “We Were Children” sheds a light to Canadians and informs them about the horrible experiences at residential schools. It also gives voice to a national tragedy that has been hidden for years. This connects to the official apology because it captures what happened that led to the apology. I selected this primary resource because this trailer gives an in depth visualization of what led to the apology.

Info Graphic

The person who created this info graphic is unknown but it was posted on the “TVO” website. The date is also unknown. The purpose of this info graphic is to show that Aboriginal poverty rates are more higher than other Canadians across Canada. It’s function is to show the timeline of the Aboriginal's dark journey from the 19th century to the 20th century and how the government tried fixing it in the 21st century. It’s connected to the official apology because it states it in the timeline for the year of 2008. I chose an info graphic because it shares both pictures and facts about Aboriginal poverty and it is easier to understand with the visualization.

Photograph

The person who took this image is unknown. The date this photo was published was on June 11,2008 at the House of Commons Chamber Ottawa, Ontario on the “Prime Minister of Canada Steven Harper” website. In this image, Steven Harper is giving his formal apology in front of many Aboriginal leaders . The apology was given on behalf of the Government of Canada, Steven Harper apologizes to those who were victims of the residential school systems and for causing long lasting damage on Aboriginal heritage, culture and language. This image’s function is to show the government’s sincere apology to the Aboriginals. I chose this image because it shows the image of the official apology and who were involved in it.

Timeline

1892: The churches and federal government are in agreement with the operation of residential schools

Timeline

1931: There were at least 80 residential schools across Canada

Timeline

1950: Aboriginal Culture survived after all the abuse

Timeline

1970: The residential schools transferred to Indian bands

Timeline

1986: The united church had apologized for its participation in residential schools

Timeline

1991: Phil Fontaine becomes first native person to publicly announce his story at school

Timeline

1993: Anglican Church had apologized for its participation in schools

Timeline

2007: Truth and reconciliation for residential schools is open

Timeline

2008: The government has apologized for the damage caused by residential schools

Image Credits for Timeline http://westcoastnativenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Tens-of-thousands-First-Nation-children-

died-in-residential-schools.jpg 3/3/2015

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1pIlR4n5_-s/TlDA1EIV3cI/AAAAAAAAAGk/2c5l-PLmjBE/s320/Elkhorn+Indian+Residential+School+%25E2%2580%2594+Elkhorn%252C+MB.jpg 3/3/2015

http://www.livemint.com/rf/Image-621x414/LiveMint/Period1/2012/01/06/Photos/f8856ed9-beb6-4af3-87f6-06156fc0a189.jpg 3/3/2015

http://thechildrenremembered.ca/school-locations/alberni/ 3/3/2015

http://cdn.agilitycms.com/anglican-journal/Images/Slider/MichaelPeersMarkMacDonald.620.jpg 3/3/2015

http://widerhorizons.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/hail-to-the-chief.png 3/3/2015

http://www.ammsa.com/sites/default/files/html-pages/old-site/classroom/CLASS-Images/c5lacstanne.jpg3/3/2015

http://www.shannonthunderbird.com/Harper%20in%20house.jpg 3/3/2015 http://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/canada/2008/04/29/reconciliation_no_blank_slate_s

trahl_warns/reconciliation_no_blank_slate_strahlwarns.jpeg.size.xxlarge.letterbox.jpeg 3/3/2015

http://storage.portagedailygraphic.com/v1/dynamic_resize/sws_path/suns-prod-images/-384073_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=320x&stmp=1342660115575 3/3/2015

Image Credits for Title Page

https://shawglobalnews.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/residential-school-trial-ocvo.jpg?w=1024 3/3/2015

http://www.nativevillage.org/Archives/2011%20Archives/JAN%202011%20News/2487594201_22ed59f2cc.jpg 3/3/2015

http://treaty6education.lskysd.ca/sites/treaty6education.lskysd.ca/files/100_0156_0.JPG 3/3/2015

Image Credits for Primary Sources Photograph 1: http://i.cbc.ca/1.1990062.1406484848!/

httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/hi-residential-schools-852.jpg 3/3/2015

Photograph 2: http://apihtawikosisan.com/wp- content/uploads/2012/03/rezschool-before-after1.jpg 3/3/2015

Photograph 3: http://www.pm.gc.ca/sites/pm/files/styles/news_item_subpage/public/media/articles/PM-feature-20080611b.jpg?itok=R6TfdjLd 3/3/2015

Info graphic: http://tvo.org/whypoverty/info/aboriginal-poverty 3/3/2015